Vendor Sourcing Specialist (Lead Generation Specialist)

About the Role

As Lead Generation Specialist, you will identify, qualify, and cultivate potential vendor partners capable of supporting AI data collection initiatives across multiple markets and geographies. You will serve as the front end of the vendor acquisition pipeline, responsible for researching organizations, identifying potential partners, conducting initial outreach, and generating qualified opportunities for the Vendor Management team.

What You'll Do

Vendor Prospecting & Research

• Identify potential vendors capable of supporting physical data collection projects.
• Conduct market research to discover companies, communities, universities, research organizations, field service providers, staffing firms, and operational partners.
• Build and maintain a pipeline of prospective vendors across target regions.
• Research vendor capabilities, workforce capacity, geographic coverage, industry specialization, and operational maturity.
• Monitor market trends and emerging vendors within relevant industries.

Lead Generation

• Generate a consistent flow of qualified vendor leads to support business growth.
• Utilize multiple channels including:
• LinkedIn
• Industry directories
• Business databases
• Professional associations
• Community networks
• Referrals
• Recruitment platforms
• Industry events and conferences
• Develop outreach lists and prospect databases.
• Maintain accurate records of all sourcing activities.

Vendor Qualification

• Conduct preliminary screening and qualification discussions.
• Assess potential partners against predefined operational criteria.
• Gather information regarding:
• Workforce size
• Geographic reach
• Technology capabilities
• Experience supporting operational programs
• Capacity and scalability
• Quality management processes
• Determine whether prospects meet onboarding requirements.
• Escalate qualified opportunities to the Vendor Manager.

Outreach & Relationship Building

• Initiate contact with prospective vendors via email, phone, LinkedIn, and virtual meetings.
• Introduce company capabilities, project opportunities, and partnership models.
• Build positive relationships with prospective vendor organizations.
• Maintain consistent engagement throughout the qualification process.
• Coordinate introductory meetings between vendors and leadership stakeholders.

Vendor Pipeline Management

• Maintain a healthy and organized vendor acquisition funnel.
• Track lead progression from prospecting through qualification.
• Ensure prospect information is accurately documented within CRM and tracking systems.
• Monitor outreach activity and conversion performance.
• Generate reports on pipeline health and sourcing effectiveness.

Market Intelligence

• Conduct competitive and market intelligence research.
• Identify underserved regions and expansion opportunities.
• Track vendor market rates and operational capabilities.
• Provide recommendations regarding sourcing strategy and market expansion.
• Support capacity planning discussions through supplier market analysis.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner closely with:

• Vendor Managers
• Delivery Managers
• Production Managers
• Supply & Capacity Planning Teams
• Recruitment Teams
• Community Management Teams
• Business Development Teams

Administrative Support

• Schedule vendor discovery meetings.
• Maintain sourcing trackers and dashboards.
• Prepare qualification summaries and capability assessments.
• Support onboarding activities after vendor approval.
• Maintain partnership records and documentation.

Success Metrics

The Lead Generation Specialist will be evaluated on:

• Qualified vendor leads generated
• Vendor pipeline growth
• Prospect-to-qualified conversion rate
• Vendor onboarding conversion rate
• Geographic coverage expansion
• Outreach activity levels
• Time-to-source qualified vendors
• Vendor database quality and accuracy
• Pipeline health metrics
• Stakeholder satisfaction

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, Human Resources, Management, International Business, or a related field.
• Equivalent professional experience may be considered.
• 2+ years of experience in lead generation, business development, recruitment sourcing, talent acquisition, sales development, partnership development, market research, or vendor sourcing.
• Experience identifying and engaging external organizations or stakeholders.
• Experience conducting online research and qualification activities.
• Experience managing databases, pipelines, or CRM systems.

Preferred Experience

Candidates with experience in the following environments are strongly preferred:

• AI data collection operations
• BPO industry
• Recruitment and talent sourcing
• Staffing agencies
• Vendor management organizations
• Business development
• Operations outsourcing
• Crowdsourcing platforms
• Research organizations
• Technology services

Required Skills

Research & Sourcing

• Strong internet and market research skills.
• Ability to identify potential partners through multiple sourcing channels.
• Strong investigative and information-gathering abilities.
• Ability to quickly assess organizational fit.

Communication Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Professional outreach and relationship-building capabilities.
• Ability to draft compelling emails and partnership messages.
• Comfortable conducting introductory qualification calls.

Relationship Building

• Strong networking capability.
• Ability to establish credibility with external organizations.
• Customer-focused and partnership-oriented mindset.
• Ability to maintain long-term professional relationships.

Sales & Business Development Mindset

• Comfortable working toward sourcing and pipeline targets.
• Results-oriented approach to lead generation.
• Ability to influence and engage prospective partners.
• Strong persistence and follow-through.

Organization & Attention to Detail

• Ability to manage a large volume of prospects simultaneously.
• Strong documentation and record-keeping skills.
• Excellent time management capabilities.
• Ability to manage competing priorities.

Technical Requirements

Required:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Teams
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• LinkedIn

Strongly Preferred:

• Salesforce
• HubSpot
• Airtable
• Power BI
• ZoomInfo
• Apollo.io
• Monday.com
• Smartsheet
• CRM and lead management systems

Physical Data Collection Experience (Preferred)

• Physical data collection operations
• Participant recruitment
• Workforce sourcing
• Field operations
• Vendor-delivered services
• Data annotation programs
• AI training data programs
• Smartphone and device-based collection projects
• Research participant communities
• Large-scale operational deployments

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING

At Innodata, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging are at the heart of who we are. With over 35 years of expertise, we foster an inclusive workplace that celebrates the rich diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives our employees bring — diversity that fuels our innovation in AI and data engineering. We encourage individuals from all walks of life to apply, particularly those who may feel they don't meet every qualification or who hesitate due to their identity. Through inclusive learning initiatives, Employee Resource Groups, and flexible work arrangements, we create a sense of belonging for every team member, whether remote or onsite.

How to Apply

Apply directly through this posting, and our team will be in touch.